Knuckle joint with lateral actuating means



De. 13, 1955 c. M. HOWARD KNUCKLE JOINT WITH LATERAL ACTUATING MEANSFiled Jan. 5, 1955 W I, w

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zllllll a Ill nited States Patent KNUCKLE JOINT WITH LATERAL ACTUATINGMEANS Clifford M. Howard, Fontana, Calif.

Application January 5, 1953, Serial No. 329,703

3 Claims. (Cl. 285-93) This invention relates to a knuckle joint for usein oil or Water wells, and particularly for the purpose of fishing foror recovering broken sections of pipe, tubing, rods, etc.

An object of my invention is to provide a novel knuckle joint in whichthe movable sub of the joint is pressed to an angular position relativeto the center line of the tool by means of an auxiliary piston whichengages the sub on one side thereof.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel knuckle joint inwhich fluid under pressure is directed to the auxiliary piston by meansof a restricting orifice positioned above the movable sub.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a novel knuckle jointin which the actuating piston is eccentrically positioned relative tothe vertical center line of the tool.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention may appear from theaccompanying drawing, the subjoined detailed description and theappended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a longitudinal sectional view of my knuckle joint in theposition in which the tool is first run into the well.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of my knucklejoint showing the movable sub in its angular position.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4--4 of Figure 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the numeral 1 indicates themain body portion or housing of the knuckle joint which includes anupper portion 2 and a lower portion 3 threaded on to the upper portion,as shown. The upper portion 2 of the body is provided with threads 4 bymeans of which the tool is attached to the drill pipe or the like (notshown). The parts of the main body 2 and 3 are threaded together asshown, so that it is possible to assemble the movable sub 5. The sub 5is formed with a bearing 6 at its upper end which fits in acomplementary seat 7 in the body of the tool. The bearing 6 of the sub 5is flattened on both sides, as shown at 8 and these flat faces or sidesfit against a corresponding flat face in the body 2 and 3 whereby thesub is prevented from rotating relative to the body of the tool.

The lower portion 3 of the body is provided with an elongated bore 9 inwhich the movable sub 5 can move back and forth, as will be subsequentlydescribed. A vertical fluid bore 10 extends through the body 1 of thetool and a fluid passage 11 is provided in the sub 5 so that circulatingfluid can flow downwardly through the tool, all of which is necessary inthe drilling of an oil well.

A fitting 12 screws onto the lower end of the sub 5 and this fitting isthreaded at its lower end, as shown at 13, so as to receive a fishingtool of a well known type,

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or the fitting may on occasions be threaded directly into the lost toolor pipe (fish) in the hole. The fitting 12 is provided with a shoulder14 on one side thereof and a cam or block 15 is mounted on thisshoulder. It is obvious that the shoulder 14 and block 15 may beintegral, if desired. A piston 16 is mounted in the cylinder 17 in thebody section 3 of the tool. A shoe 18 on the lower end of the piston 16engages the block 15 and the shoe and the block have complementaryinclined surfaces which will press the sub 5 and the fitting 12 to oneside or into the angular position, shown in Figure 2, when fluidpressure is applied to the piston 16.

A duct 19 extends from the fluid bore 10 to the cylinder 17. A plate 20is mounted in the fluid bore 10 and this plate is provided with a smallorifice 21 which restricts the flow of fluid moving downwardly throughthe bore 10. Due to the restriction of the orifice 21 fluid underpressure will be forced through the duct 19 and.

will thus exert pressure on the top of the piston 16 which will pressthe shoe 18 downwardly, thus tilting the sub 5 to one side, as shown inFigure 2.

When the sub 5 is inclined, as in Figure 2, the entire tool can berotated, thus causing the fitting 12 and any fishing tool attachedthereto, to sweep the wall of the bore, thus engaging and recovering anylost article which might be leaning against the wall of the bore. Thesub 5 is maintained in proper alignment with the shoe 18, that is, thesub cannot rotate relative to the body 1 of the tool, due to the flatfaces 8 previously described.

Having described my invention I claim:

1. A knuckle joint comprising a body, threads on the upper end of saidbody, a sub, a bearing on the sub seated in the body and tiltablymounting the sub on the lower end of said body, said sub projecting fromthe body, said body having a fluid bore centrally arranged therein andextending vertically therethrough, and said sub having a fluid passagecentrally arranged therein and extending vertically therethrough, saidbody having a vertical cylinder therein eccentrically positioned to thevertical center line of the body, a piston reciprocally mounted in thecylinder, said body having a fluid bore therein, and a duct extendingfrom said fluid bore to said cylinder, a tapered shoe on said piston,and means on said sub engageable by said shoe to tilt the sub as thepiston moves downwardly, said means being positioned below said bearingon the sub.

2. A knuckle joint comprising a body, threads on the upper end of saidbody, a sub, a bearing on the sub seated in the body and tiltablymounting the sub on the lower end of said body, said sub projecting fromthe body, said body having a fluid bore centrally arranged therein andextending vertically therethrough, and said sub having a fluid passagecentrally arranged therein and extending vertically therethrough, saidbody having a vertical cylinder therein eccentrically positioned to thevertical center line of the body, a piston reciprocally mounted in thecylinder, said body having a fluid bore therein, and a duct extendingfrom said fluid bore to said cylinder, a tapered shoe on said piston,and means on said sub engageable by said shoe to tilt the sub as thepiston moves downwardly, said means being positioned below said bearingon the sub, and a plate in said fluid bore positioned below the openingof the duct into the fluid bore, said'plate having a restricting orificetherein.

3. A knuckle joint comprising a body, threads on the upper end of saidbody, a sub, a bearing on the sub seated in the body and tiltablymounting the sub on the lower end of said body, said sub projecting fromthe body, said body having a fluid bore centrally arranged therein andextending vertically therethrough, and said sub having a fluid passagecentrally arranged therein and extending vertically therethrough, saidbody having a Patented Dec. 13, 1955.

, mounted in the cylinder, said body having a fluid bore therein, and aduct extending from said fluid bore to said cylindenratapered shoe onsaid piston, a tapered 5 cam on said sub' engageable by said shoettotilt the sub as the piston moves downwardly; saidtapered cam beingpositioned below said bearing on the sub, and a plate in said fluid borepositioned below the entrance of the duct into the fluid; bore, saidplate having a restricted 10 orifice therein.

UNITED STA'lQES PATENTS LeBus June 2, 1942

